1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method. In more detail, the present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, and an information processing method that change operations thereof according to confidentiality of information to be treated and a state of a user's operation, in a configuration or a work form of a system which operates a multi-functional device as a front-end apparatus for printing or inputting and outputting data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a composite device has been making a-progress in improvement of high functionality, multi-functionality, high performance, or operability including a user interface, and has come to perform the processing and operation as shown in the following, in addition to the copy operation or the printing an output from a PC. For example, the new processing and operation includes making registration of an image scanned in a device on a server according to the scan information, converting the image into a universal format for transmission to a specified destination via a network, operating jobs listed on an operation screen, etc. In this manner, the composite device has been frequently used for performing a function as a work terminal, including replacement of a part of the job conventionally performed on a PC.
Meanwhile, generally an objective of a task is achieved by performing multiple related operations (“workflow” is used to mean an operation group required for achieving a specific task). Here, it is supposed that each operation accompanies manipulation of a device. For example, a task for making a catalog is supposed to be a task wherein a person shooting an image to be posted prints a catalog sample for a proof in a grade of quality allowing the person to imagine a final print.
First, the image shooter goes to the composite device, inputs image data stored in a digital camera, and makes registration on the server for making the catalog (first process). Then, data for printing is prepared after certain processing and a catalog sample having a laid-out registered image is selected from a print data list displayed on the device for printing (second process).
Note that the device used in the first process and the device used in the second process are not allowed to be the same in convenience of performing the task and in the device functions or performances, and different devices are used. Meanwhile, because an image to be treated has a high confidentiality in copy right, the first process and the second process require user authentication (password input) in addition to user identification (individual identification) by an IC card or the like.
Meanwhile, a conventional technique which performs the user authentication (individual authentication) required in the operation of multiple devices is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210. In this technique, an IC card number identifying an individual person and wireless tag information attached to a belonging of an operator are preliminarily registered associated with each other. Here, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210 assumes that the wireless tag is worn by a user as a belonging thereof attached to a cloth, an accessory, or the like, or disposed around the user. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210, the IC card number and the wireless tag information are acquired and collated for operating the device, and the person is authenticated to be the identical person at a certain level of matching (authentication success); that is, the reading of the wireless tag information works to replace the password input.
In operating multiple devices, it is burdensome for a user to input a password each time. If the number of the devices increases, labor hour therefor also increases proportionally. This problem is solved by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210. However, the user authentication in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210, is performed by matching in a combination of the wireless tags worn by the user or disposed around the user, and can not be performed even if one of the wireless tags is lost. Further, there remain problems in security or usability such that, when the IC card and the belonging attached with wireless tag are lost at the same time, a finder thereof can use a false identity, and that it is necessary to make registration each time the belonging is added or changed.
Further, in performing a workflow such as image processing with a high confidentiality, when the above first and second steps are performed using different devices, for example, each of the devices requires the user authentication such as a password input because of the above high confidentiality. That is, the password is input into a first apparatus for performing the first process and the password is required to be input again into a second apparatus for performing the second process.
Even when Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-35210 is applied to this case, the user authentication by the wireless tag is performed each time in login for each of the devices, and, if the user does not carry even one of the wireless tags for performing the second process, for example, the user can not log in the second apparatus.
Further, there is conventionally a technique called Single Sign-On. By using this technique, when the user authentication is once performed in an operation unit of a certain apparatus, it is possible to access another application without the user authentication as far as the same operation unit is used. This is based on the assumption that usually one operation unit is frequently used monopolistically and exclusively by the one and only user. By this assumption, it is reasonable to presume that, when one-time user authentication is performed in the operation unit of the certain apparatus, the one and only user operating the certain apparatus using the operation unit is a person to be reliable, and therefore a subsequent access does not need further user authentication.
In using such Single Sign-On, however, it is necessary to perform the user authentication such as the password input again, when the apparatus is changed and the operation unit is changed. This is because a user utilizing another apparatus using another operation unit has a high probability of being different from the user who already finished the user authentication. Therefore, when performing a predetermined workflow with multiple devices as described above, it is necessary to input the password each time changing a device for the processing and a more labor hour is required.